Western Mountaineering - Antelope MF

I have the Western Mountaineering Antelope. I love it and would highly recommend it if it is in your budget. I did not get the overfill and have not had a problem with the fill compressing so if I was going to get a new one, I don't think I'd get the overfill. I am a slide sleeper that roles around and the bag conforms around me nicely (I actually find it better then my warm-weather quilt that I some how mange to tangle myself up).

I move a lot in my sleep, and in cold weather I always get drafts with quilts. For Western bags, measure the circumference around your shoulders. If you’re <62” try the Antelope instead. If you sleep warm and you’re 62”-64” try the Versalite (10 degree but lighter fabric). If you’re 65”+ the Kodiak is the bag.

If you don’t want to buy a bag for 10 years, get the Antelope. You’ll pass it down to your grandchildren. I have one from the late 90’s that’s my favorite thing ever, and a newer one that is the best winter bag I’ve ever tried by a good margin. High quality, warmer than its rating, excellent craftsmanship and details, the Antelope is the move. You won’t regret it. For overfill, you should be good for temperatures you’ll see, and WM down is very high quality and you won’t lose much loft at all, so it’ll just be extra weight. You can always add it later

The #3 zipper thing is legit - had one snag so much on a trip I almost ripped the baffle, defintiely go with the #5 YKK on the WM if you're keeping it for a decade.

If you want the best, the answer is Western Mountaineering. The antelope 5 is absolutely amazing for low temps. I’ve been inside sweating in 0* weather. True comfort rating not survivable temps. When it comes to other brands, I’d be looking at feathered friends, Nemo, mountain hardware, marmot. If you are experienced with quilts, that is another option.

I liked my quilt when I was doing shorter trips. Once I started doing months at a time I grabbed a western mountaineering bag and I have no regrets. Helps me extend a bit more into shoulder season

Western Mountaineering mummy bag. I do a lot in shoulder season and these are very warm for the weight

Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends or Marmot for bags. Enlightened Equipment, Hammock Gear or Katabatic for backpacking quilts. Not cheap but quality and comfortable.

There isn’t really an absolute best, but I like Katabatic for a quilt and western mountaineering or feathered friends for a bag. I prefer quilts down to around the low 20s, bags below that. Having a pocket in your quilt for a sleeping pad seems silly to me.

Western Mountaineering is the benchmark. Their bags really are great. In addition to WM, I also own a Gryphon Gear quilt and can say that their quality is top notch as well and they make both bags and quilts. For a few hundred less than a WM bag, you can get a Gryphon Gear Taurus bag. They are a small cottage shop so you get to deal directly with the owner and he'll make it custom to your liking if you want it a little more roomy. I think there are so many better choices than the EE quilts.

Western mountaineering… cry once, but once